Light is the most dynamic element of the home décor. Home lighting today is much more than just about illumination. The light is not just a “utility”, rather it is the essence for the ambience for the home that echoes the mood and adds a flavor to the home decor.

But considering the wastage on the inappropriate lighting solutions, it becomes a major concern when this issue is seen at the macro level. Say, for instance, in a country like India, over 10,000 MW can be saved if proper lighting is used, both domestically and commercially. This is just a small example, but consider the energy that can be saved if we use our resources properly.

The most popular and widely used light source is the incandescent bulb in our homes and offices. Although being cheap and effective, it wastes a lot of energy. A large part of energy used by it is wasted as unusable heat. Further, this heat puts additional load on the air conditioners and they have to consume more power to reduce this “extra” heat; and let us not forget this heat contribution to the global warming. One effective alternative is the CFLs. They generate almost negligible heat and consume only 40% of energy what an incandescent bulb consumes.

The newer and the latest alternative is the LED lightings. Although expensive, it is very effective. LEDs do not generate heat and consume a fraction of power used by bulbs or CFLs. LEDs consume 80% less power than incandescent lamp and 50% of CFL. A 12W LED can be conveniently used to replace a 65W Incandescent bulb.

In addition to the above, houses should be installed with lighting controls that include dimmers and regulators so that exactly right amount of light is used and wastage minimized.

It is not just the efficient devices; also the wasteful habits that need to be rectified. Use the natural daylight to the maximum possible extent. Don’t forget to turn off the excessive lights and avoid using high energy consuming lights. And wherever possible, use the automatic timers and infrared sensors, so that the light is turned on only when required.

Energy efficiency is a really smart way to reduce demand on power system and reduce the CO2 emissions. By properly planning your lighting and by following some basic lighting principles, a lot of energy can be saved; without compromising on the luxury part.

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